Bracelet and the like.



D. P. RlCHARDS.

BRACELET AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1915.

1., 1 69,999,, Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

STATES, PAT-Eur omen.

' nnims r. mcnanns, or M. LOUIS, missouma BRACELET AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 17,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Dames P. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis-and State of Missouri, have invented a new andl. useful Improvement in Bracelets and the ike, of;. which the following is a specification; v

My invention relates-.to' bracelets, eck-. laces, ornamental chains and similar articles.

It has for its principal objects to provide for the making of a complete band by hinging together a number of similar links or units specially. adapted for the purpose; also to provide for the use of one or more of such links short of a complete band; also to provide for the, convenient assembling and detaching of the links.

The invention consists in the combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like partswherever they occur, Figure 1 is a face view of a ribbon showing one standard link and one special link secured thereto; Fig. 2 is an edge view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a rear face view showing the special link and a standard link detached; Fig. 4 is an edge view of a standard link and a special link hinged thereto in position fordetachment; Fig. 5 is an edge view of two standard links hinged together in position v for detachment; .Fig. 6 is a face view of a chain or'partially completed band made up of five standard links; and Fig. 7 is an edge viewof the chain shown in Fig. 6.

The standard link or unit of the present invention comprises a' body portion 1 which. is preferably elongated and slightly concave, and which is preferably of precious metal and of ornamental design. At one end of the link or unit is a rounded pintle 2, whose end portions are spaced fr'm the end .of the body of the link and whose middle portion. is connected to the body of the link by a neck or tongue 3'. Preferably, a groove 42 is formed in the outer surface of the tongue parallel with the axis of the pintle. At the opposite end of the standard link or unit is formed a.v circular socket of proper size to accommodate the pintle of a similar unit. In order to form the socket, the blank for the link is made with two longitudinal extensions 5 at the end thereof, which extensions are spaced Specification of Letters Patent.

1915. Serial No. 22,186.,

apart a distance substantially equal to'or slightly greater than the width of the,

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

tongue 3. at the opposite end of said link;

The longitudinal extensions 5 are then curved "inwardly, that is, toward the confcave' face of the link,.and back toward the end of the link, leaving, however, a space 6 between one .or both of such extensions and the body of the'link of a width equal to the thickness of the tongue3 at the opposite end measured through the groove 4 therein.

By the arrangement above described, one link or unit may be secured to any other similar link or unit by inserting the pintle of one link into the socket of the other; and when thus secured, the .two links or units are hingedly locked together. In order to insert. the pmtle of one link in the socket of the other, the pintle and socket are placed inalinement, and with the tongue of the pintle in alinement' with the space 6 between the body of the link and the ends of the socket v extensions. The pintle is then forced into the socket until the tongue or neck of the pintle registers with the space between the extensions that form'the socket; and when the neck is in this position, the links are turned apart. The links are thus securely but detachably hinged together. Obviously, as many links as may be desired may be like: wise hinged together; and the endmost links may in likemanner be hinged together to .complete the band.

scribed, and that it may be desirable to wear one or any number short of a complete bracelet, necklace or other complete band. For this purpose, a ribbon 7 of suitable fabric is used to give the required length for the bracelet or other article. A pintle of one link pierces or passes through a small hole .inth'e fabric and fastens the link to the fabric after the manner of a button. The socket end of said link, or of the endmost link, engages the pintle of a speciallink 8 that is slidably or adjustably secured to theribbon. For this purpose, the special link may be provided with a transverse slot 9 adapted for the ribbon to pass through. Whenever it is desired, the two endmost standard links may be readily disengaged from the fabric and the special link respectively; and hinged to each other.

Obviously, my invention is capable of considerable modification, and therefore I do not Wish to be limited to the particular form shown and described.

' .I claim the following as my invention:

1. The combination with a ribbon of suitable fabric,,,of a link having at one end a tongue extending through said fabric provided with a pintle which has free ends projecting in opposite directions from the end of said tongue, said link having at its opposite'end a socket arranged for cooperation with a similar pintle, and a similar pintle adjustablyisecured to said ribbon.

2. An article of the kind described comprising a ribbon of suitable fabric, similar links detachably hinged together, each link having a tongue at one end and a pintle on said tongue, and having a socket at the other end, the pintle of one link being pivotally engaged with the socket of the next adjacent link, and the socket being formed of longitudinal extensions of the body portion and the rebent ends of said extensions being spaced from the body portion of the link a distance equal to the narrowest thickness of said tongue, and a special link having a slot for the ribbon and having also a tongue and pintle like those of the first mentioned links,

said pintle of the last mentioned link engaging the socket of one endmost of said first mentioned links, and the pintle of the other endmost of said first mentioned links being passed through and engaging the fabric.

'3. Anarticle of the kind described comprising a ribbon of suitable fabric, similar links detachably hinged together and each having a pintle socket at one end and a tongue at the opposite end having a pintle adapted to cooperate with the socket of the adjacent link, one endmost link having its tongue extending through the fabric whereby its pintle serves to detachably secure the link to the ribbon, and a link adjustably secured to said ribbon and having a neck and pintle adapted for detachable engagement Ivitlh the socket of said endmost standard 4. A link for bracelets and the like comprising a body portion having a slot for a ribbon and a T-shaped extension at one end comprising a prOJecting neck carrying a pintle adapted for detachable engagement with the socket of another link.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 15th day of April, 1915.

DARIUS P. RICHARDS. 

